Small mammal study in west-central Oregon

The lumbering and wood products industry is the most important in thePacific Northwest. As more old-growth timber is harvested, farsighted peopleare becoming increasingly concerned about managing the resource on a sus-tained yield basis. A major problem confronting foresters is to get prompt andfull restocking of clearcut areas. Small seed-eating mammals, primarily deermice, are one of the factors responsible for poor stands of seedlings ( Moore,1940). Considerable research has been done on small mammals, but additionalbasic information is needed on their relationship to the staggered-setting systemof clearcutting widely practiced in western Oregon and Washington. In anattempt to secure some of this information, a project was started on the H. J.Andrews Experimental Forest in April, 1954. This progress report includesdata on small mammals secured until the end of November, 1956.
The major objectives of the study were (1) to measure the small mammalpopulations in virgin, recently logged, and recently burned forest habitats;( 2 ) to gather as much information as possible on the mechanics of small mam-mal population fluctuations after logging and burning.
This study was made in cooperation with the Pacific Northwest Forest andRange Experiment Station, U.S. Forest Service. I am especially grateful to R. H. Ruth, R. R. Silen and H. J. Cratkowsld, all of the Station; and to Leo A. Isaac andR. C. Koenig, formerly of the Station. Their kind suggestions, considerationand assistance were very helpful during the study. I would also like toacknowledge the fine cooperation of Dr. Albert N. Steward, Oregon StateCollege Herbarium, and Mike M. Savelich, Eugene, who logged the 5B unit.